What's "rules light" to you?

[Silverleaf]

I picked FUDGE, OD&D and BRP.
I'd also add '77 Basic D&D, and '81 Basic/Expert D&D.
FUDGE is kinda special because you can really go either way with it, but it can be light.
Some other light games not listed: Tunnels & Trolls, Fighting Fantasy, DSA Basic ('84 edition), the old TSR Conan game.

 

[Akrasia]

It's funny, on page 1 of the C&C PHB, it describes itself as "rules-light". Some here seem to disagree with that.

Well, within the 'family' of D&D-type games, C&C is "light". It is lighter than 1e and 2e AD&D, 3e D&D, and RC D&D (and certainly Hackmaster as well, if that game counts). Only OD&D (pre-Greyhawk) and Basic/Expert D&D are (arguably) "lighter".

In contrast to other RPGs, it is IMO "rules medium", but I don't think it is misrepresenting itself in that intro.

 

[Akrasia]

....
On the heavy end of the spectrum would be Rolemaster and (maybe) HERO (from accounts of my friends, I haven't acutally played it myself). They take more to learn whether from more base material or using a more complex dice mechanic.
...

IME Rolemaster (2nd edition, *not* the current version) is more streamlined than 3e. It has a single unified mechanic for everything -- combat, skills, and magic. Contrast that with 3e, which has different systems for all those things (plus feats, class abilities, and prestige classes!).

I think Rolemeaster gets the rep for being "rules heavy" because it has so many charts. It is indeed "chart/table heavy". But IME it is not "rules heavier" than 3e (and I have a fair bit of experience GMing both systems).

As for the current version of Rolemaster (the "standard system"), well I agree that that is a bit of a rules mess (and painfully byzantine).

 

[Glyfair]

Are you sure HeroQuest qualifies as rules-light? How do you make a character without a slightly more than basic understanding of Glorantha?

The rules are light. There is, essentially, one mechanic that is used for everything. There are few actual "rules tables" (weapons being the main exception).

Knowing Glorantha is useful for creating a Gloranthan character. It's not necessary to play the system.

Indeed, I think Heroquest would be a sound basis for a superhero RPG.

 

[Turjan]

The rules are light. There is, essentially, one mechanic that is used for everything. There are few actual "rules tables" (weapons being the main exception).

Knowing Glorantha is useful for creating a Gloranthan character. It's not necessary to play the system.

Indeed, I think Heroquest would be a sound basis for a superhero RPG.

That's already in the making. The QuestWorlds book, basically HeroQuest divorced from Glorantha, will also deal with using the mechanics for a superhero game.

As far as the 'one mechanic' part goes, already combat resolution uses two alternate mechanics. And don't forget all the rules spread out through the text of the core book and the supplements. Of course, you can ignore that, but that's not the question. You could also play D&D with the one core mechanic and wing the rest with modifiers.

 

[SWBaxter]

Are you sure HeroQuest qualifies as rules-light?

I think what I said was that it's a game that's rules light in my eyes, and I'm 100% sure that's a factual statement.

How do you make a character without a slightly more than basic understanding of Glorantha?

By starting with as little statted out as you like and filling in keywords as you play. That's the third method of creating a character listed in the rulebook (the others are writing a paragraph and making a list).

Just look at the magic system: The actual resolution mechanics are simple, but all this how and when and lots of the details can be mind-boggling.

For some definitions of "mind", sure. But that of course is a setting matter more than a rules matter. When "the actual resolution mechanics are simple", that's good enough to be rules-light to me. YMWV, of course.

At the moment, I'd give it a 'rules-medium'.

It's not really a shock to me that in a thread asking peoples' opinions, it's possible for two people to give different opinions.

 

[SWBaxter]

As far as the 'one mechanic' part goes, already combat resolution uses two alternate mechanics.

Not quite - conflict resolution uses either of two alternate mechanics, based on how important the conflict is to the story. Whether the conflict in question is a combat or not isn't particularly important. You use the same mechanics for a debate or a race or a flower arranging contest or whatever the conflict is.

Also, I said I look at how close a game comes to having a single resolution mechanic; I did not say that a game must have exactly one such mechanic to be rules light. IMHO, HQ comes closer than a lot of games with two pretty well defined systems.

 

[Turjan]

It's not really a shock to me that in a thread asking peoples' opinions, it's possible for two people to give different opinions.

Sure enough . And if we take D&D as comparison, our opinions won't look that different anyway .

 

[Psion]

IME Rolemaster (2nd edition, *not* the current version) is more streamlined than 3e. It has a single unified mechanic for everything -- combat, skills, and magic. Contrast that with 3e, which has different systems for all those things (plus feats, class abilities, and prestige classes!).

I think Rolemeaster gets the rep for being "rules heavy" because it has so many charts. It is indeed "chart/table heavy".

Its the accounting behind making and advancing RM characters that convinces me it is immensely heavier than 3e.

 

[Enkhidu]

Paranoia.

Any game where its against the rules for the players to know the rules is, I think by definition, rules light.